WHAT a difference a week makes. After last Saturday’s disappointing defeat to Colwyn Bay, Hightown roared back to life with a hugely impressive win over title-chasing New Brighton.

Hightown Cricket Club are back on form with a blistering win over New Brighton

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WHAT a difference a week makes. After last Saturday’s disappointing defeat to Colwyn Bay, Hightown roared back to life with a hugely impressive win over title-chasing New Brighton.

The Wirral side arrived at The Porterprint Oval and, like so many other teams before them, appeared to underestimate the opposition, which ultimately played into the hands of Ian Sutcliffe’s lion-hearted troops.

In Nathan Heathcliff-Core, they have one of the most consistent seam bowlers in the league and who, at the age of 43, is now blossoming into a batsman of class and consistency.

And in Jannisar Khan, they have found a fast bowler who can unlock the defence of even the most obdurate of batsmen.

These two were key to Hightown’s success on the day, but at the start of play it was long odds on either of them even taking the field.

A steady drizzle and grey skies were not exactly ideal conditions, but with both sides keen to get going, play began just half an hour after the scheduled start.

New Brighton skipper Tim Watkins won the toss and had little hesitation in asking the home side to bat first.

It seemed a good call too, with hard-hitting opener Shaun Vosloo departing early on to a fantastic diving catch in the deep.

Heathcliff-Core, promoted to open the innings, was much more watchful and slowly but surely, he began to build a challenging total.

With support from Jannisar Khan (25), Anthony Symondson (26) and latterly, John Lovett (20 not out) in an entertaining ninth wicket stand, Hightown edged towards 200.

Heathcliff-Core was a couple of hits away from a maiden competition ton before Sutcliffe, harshly but correctly, made the declaration at 206-8, with the veteran unbeaten on 88.

This was certainly not in the script for the visiting side, but it got worse for them after the tea break when Andy Warhurst removed two New Brighton batsmen in his opening over, the second of which was Sri Lankan test player Charitha Fernando.

A wicket each for Jannisar Khan and Graham Jones put Hightown in the box seat, before Martyn Evans (57) and Lawrence Wilson (42) staged a recovery.

Khan then returned for a second spell and, with his extreme pace and bounce, proved too much for the New Brighton middle order, reducing them to 158-7.

But he left the best for last, ripping out the three remaining wickets in consecutive balls, to the delight of his team mates and watching spectators.

Louis Botes went leg before, Nazim Mohammed fell to a catch in the slips and Tim Watkins was the third victim caught behind, giving Khan his hat-trick and his team the win by 48 runs.

This year, Hightown have proved they can mix it with the big boys and they could be heading for their highest ever Premier League finish, having now moved up to fourth place.

Whether they can maintain this form for the rest of the season remains to be seen, but a trip to Bootle this Saturday will be an acid test in the meantime.

Also this weekend, the second team will hope to take the field against Moorfield after rain washed out their match against Birkenhead St Mary’s last Saturday.

Meanwhile, the third team are looking to bounce back from a disappointing defeat against Fleetwood Hesketh with a match against Colwyn Bay on Sunday.